The checkered flag flew none too soon for the Ventura,
CA, ace though, as 57-year-old Minnesota veteran racer Roger Rager was
on the charge in classic rim-riding style, blasting past Bryan Clauson
and Jason Sides on the final lap to finish a close second after starting
21st.

“I could tell someone was coming on the high side because
you could see the top was getting run in pretty good,” Kruseman
commented from victory lane. “But we were good on the bottom and until
someone actually passes ya’, you can’t really leave your line.”

Kruseman, who charged from 16th to fifth in
the daytime portion of the Tuesday TNT double, earned the pole position
for the nightcap by making a last corner pass of Casey Shuman to win his
heat then finishing a close second to Charles Davis, Jr., in his
qualifier.

“The Kruser” outgunned young gun and fellow front row
starter Bryan Clauson for the point at the drop of the green flag and
set the early pace in front of Clauson and Jon Stanbrough, with
ninth-starter Jason Sides advancing to fourth by the third lap.

Sides disposed of Stanbrough for third following a lap
seven caution for Davis, who came to a halt in turn four, while Bud
Kaeding and Terry McCarl diced for position behind Kruseman, Clauson,
Sides and Stanbrough. Kaeding and McCarl swapped positions several
times before McCarl looped his mount in turn four at the race’s midway
point. McCarl tagged the field at the rear.

After a restart tangle that eliminated Davis, Justin
Marvel, Darren Hagen and Brandon Petty, Kruseman continued to set the
pace while Rager had cracked the top ten after starting in the eleventh
row.

Riding the rim in dazzling fashion, Rager blasted by a
host of competitors to advance to sixth by the 17th lap. By
the time the red flag flew after 20 laps for Daron Clayton’s turn two
tumble, Rager had bypassed Kaeding to crack the top five.

Set for a five-lap dash to the checkered flag, Kruseman
stuck to his preferred low line in front of Clauson, Sides, Stanbrough
and Rager. Rager made quick work of Stanbrough for fourth, then after
Sides briefly slowed his charge on the 22nd lap, Rager edged
ahead of the Tennessee racer for third as the white flag flew.

While Kruseman flashed under the checkered flag with a
five car-length advantage aboard Glenn Crossno’s Downing-powered No. 38
Bullet, the final lap featured Clauson, Rager and Sides battling in
spirited fashion for the runner-up slot. On the extreme high side
through the final corners, Rager’s momentum carried him both past Sides
and Clauson to snare the runner-up position by little more than a foot.

Clauson settled for the show position, with Sides and
Stanbrough rounding out the top five. Kaeding earned a sixth place
finish, with Danny Smith, 16th-starter Dickie Gaines, Kevin
Briscoe and 19th-starter Dave Darland completing the top ten.

Mat Neely won the first 12-lap “B” Main, with Clayton
winning the second “B” Main.

Florida’s Joe Melnick flipped violently down the
backstretch during the third qualifying race. Melnick was transported
to a local hospital for observation, complaining of possible rib
injuries.

Ed Hassler, who finished third in the afternoon event,
was leading his qualifying race when his driveline woes ended his
night. Afternoon winner Brady Short missed the night feature when he
fell two positions short of the final transfer in the second “B” Main.

The top six in total points from Tuesday’s Sprint Bandits
TNT double are locked into Wednesday night’s $10,000 to win finale.
Drivers locked in include Kruseman, Stanbrough, Danny Smith, Clauson,
Kaeding and Zach Chappell.

The balance of the 50-car field will line up according to
accumulated points in four heat races, with the top three finishers in
each heat race advancing to Wednesday’s “A” Main. The rest will go to
Twin “B” Mains, with the top three from each rounding out the 24-car
finale.